Book Two of the Dialogues: Life of Saint Benedict

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: HOW AN EMPTY BARREL WAS FILLED WITH OIL.

After which reprehension, with the rest of his brethren he fell to praying, and in the place where they were, there stood an empty barrel with a cover on it: and as the holy man continued in his prayers, the oil within so increased, that the cover began to be lifted up, and at length fell down, and the oil, that was now higher than the mouth of the barrel, began to run over on the pavement, which so soon as the servant of God, Benedict, beheld, forthwith he gave over his prayers, and the oil likewise ceased to overflow the barrel. Then he admonished that mistrusting and disobedient monk, that he would learn to have faith and humility, who on so wholesome an admonition was ashamed, because the venerable father had by miracle shown the power of almighty God, as before he told him when he first rebuked him: and so no cause there was why any should afterward doubt of his promise, seeing at one and the same time, for a small glass almost empty which he gave away, he bestowed on them an whole barrel full of oil.